Study to explore option of dissolving Parish Hill High School

DUSTIN RACIOPPI

Tuesday

Jan 29, 2008 at 12:01 AMJan 29, 2008 at 6:45 PM

In the wake of an October vote that shot down a proposed cooperative high school in Brooklyn, the three other region 11 towns that were part of the proposal are moving forward to determine what is best for their children's future.

In the wake of an October vote that shot down a proposed cooperative high school in Brooklyn, the three other region 11 towns that were part of the proposal are moving forward to determine what is best for their children's future.

Scotland and Chaplin both held town meetings last week that favored forming a committee to conduct a one-year study of whether to dissolve Parish Hill High School, which is attended by about 590 students from the two towns. Hampton is set to go to town meeting Thursday on the question, even though the committee still will perform the study since a majority of the towns voted for it.

"It's really a moot point right now for the town to even vote, but I want to know where the people stand," Maurice Bisson, Hampton first selectman, said.

With Parish Hill offering a high per-student cost and below-state-average test scores as outlined in a state Department of Education profile, Scotland First Selectman Clark Stearns said the towns in region 11 want what they don't have -- an option.

"There is no choice," he said. "We are required to send them to Parish Hill. Period."

Robert Olivera of Chaplin doesn't have children in the school system but feels that, as a taxpayer, there should be a better option for education in the region.

"You have all these people shooting their mouths off about paying for more education, and I'm for kids getting a good education," the 71-year-old said. "The thing of it is they're getting crazy with it. In the meantime, they're draining our pockets."

Brooklyn overwhelmingly rejected a proposal Oct. 10 to construct a cooperative high school within the region 11 school district, which would have paved the way for a $65 million school off Prince Hill Road. Voters balked at projected capital costs, staff composition and the inability to choose their children's educational environment.

If the results of the study recommend that the towns dissolve Parish Hill, each town would have to vote on the action. All towns must vote in favor of the dissolution in order for it to pass, but, beyond that, none of the town's selectmen know what the options would be after that. Another school being built is not an option, Stearns said.

"It's very safe to say that sometime in early '09, we'll have a report and probably some sort of vote," Stearns said.

Reach Dustin Racioppi at 774-5588 or dracioppi@norwichbulletin.com

WHAT'S NEXT

Hampton will hold a referendum from noon to 8 p.m. Thursday at Town Hall about whether to form a committee to research dissolving Parish Hill High School.

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